Of Monsters and Men

Stealth

Stealth (pg.109)
Stealth is the ability to remain unseen and unheard. Opposed by Alertness or Investigation, it covers everything from skulking in the shadows to hiding behind a door. Characters with high Stealth include burglars, assassins,
lurking monsters, and sneaky children.

Stealth depends on conditions: if someone’s actively watching you, there’s no way you can hide or skulk. Also, Stealth is affected by the environment, different conditions affecting a character’s Stealth roll accordingly.

Environment

Modifier to Stealth roll

Pitch black, no visibility

+4

Darkness, smoke, thick fog, no clear line of sight

+2

Noisy distractions

+1

Dim lighting, cluttered line of sight, moderate noise

+0

Complete silence

-1

Good lighting, clear line of sight

-2

Bright lighting, clear area

-4

If you’re not certain how to handle something, treat it as a half step. For example, if a thief is hiding in the dark (+2) from guards holding torches, reduce the bonus
to +1.

Stealth is usually a quick contest between Stealth and Alertness, though anyone “on alert” gets a +2 Alertness bonus as if making a full defense. Investigation doesn’t usually apply because there’s no active searching. Simply being on guard doesn’t equate to being “on alert” – heightened alert must have a reason, and can only be sustained for so long before boredom sets in.